Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

IKENNEDY, THILL OOUPLING.

Patented Jan. 14, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OHN KENNEDY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

THlLL-GOUPLING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 553,001, dated January 14, 1896.

h lication filed July 31, 1895. Serial No. 557,686. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN KENNEDY, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachu setts, have invented certain Improvements in Thin-Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan of the upper side of a shill-coupling constructed in accordance with my invention and applied to a carriage-axle and the bed resting thereon. Fig. 2 is a section on the line a: a: of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section on the line y 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a section on the line 21; w of Fig. 2.

This invention relates exclusively to that class of thill-couplings usually known as antira-ttlers; and my present invention consists in a duplex spring interposed be tween the heel of the thill-iron and the clip secured to the axle and the bed resting thereon, in combination with an adjustable tightening-screw passing through the clip and bed and bearing against the said spring, thus keeping the thill-iron constantly forced with the required pressure against the bolt which connects it with the lugs of the clip and precluding the possibility of play and consequent rattling, and a clip having an open-top socket at its rear end which admits of ready application to and removal from the bed and axle.

In the said drawings, A represents the axle, B the transverse bed-piece resting thereon, and G the clip having my improved socket a open at its top and within which they are located.

Z) b are bolts passing through the bed-piece into the clip for securely holding the parts together in their proper working position. (See Figs. 1 and 3.)

c c are two lugs projecting from the front of the clip, each lug being provided with a cylindrical hole for the passage of the screwbolt (1, which also passes through an eye in the heel of the shaft-iron D and connects them together in a well-known manner.

H is a compound or duplex spring of peculiar construction, being formed of an inner rubber block a and an outer metal strip h, approximately resembling an ellipse, having a top and bottom loop, with its transverse diameter contracted by bending its two curved front ends inward toward its rear and against the front of the rubber block 6 within it. (See Fig. 2.)

The top of the clip is open and is bounded at the rear by a vertical standard 7; projecting up therefrom and abutting against the rear of the axle and its bed-piece. Through the top of this standard and into and through the bed-piece passes an adjusting-screw Z, the forward end of which bears against the outer metal spring h of the duplex spring H and forces the thill-iron against the connectingbolt (Z, which latter is thereby forced snugly against the forward inner surface of the cylindrical eyes of the two lugs, in which position it is permanently held, as although the parts (Where the surfaces are in constant contact) become worn by friction the wear may be instantly compensated for or taken up and all play and consequent rattling prevented by the simple act of turning in or tightening the adj usting-screw Z against the outside metal spring, which can be done with an ordinary wrench in the hand of any per son, whether-experienced or not.

lVhen the shaft-iron is to be removed to substitute a pole-iron therefor, or for other reason, it is simply necessary to relieve the pressure of the binding-screwZ on the spring, when the bolt is free to be driven out with a blow of a hammer or stone.

The construction of my clip particularly adapts it for use with anybedpiece, for only three holes are necessary for the passage of the two bolts and the screw Z, and many forms of old clips and couplings may be removed and my improved coupling located in place in a very few minutes.

Besides the function of pressing the spring II forward against the heel of the thill-iron the adjustable screw Z also serves the purpose of an auxiliary bolt to strengthen the connection between the clip and the bed-piece.

It is evident that my duplex spring is not limited in its application to my herein-described clip having a socket, as said spring possesses the same efiiciency and advantage when ap plied to the other forms of clips now in use.

I claim--- 1. A duplex spring H, formed of an inner rubber portion e and an outer elliptical and bottom loops and encircling the-spring H,

and an adjusting screw 1 bearing against the middle of the spring 71, substantially as described.

lVitness my hand this 26th day of June, 1895. JOHN KENNEDY In presence of JOSEPH A. REILLY, JOHN B. DAVIES. 

